Bowling equipment



June 24, 1941. w n- 2,246,562

BOWLING EQUIPMENT Filed May 1, 1940 I NV EN TOR.

BY A BERT B.WH|TLEY A TTORNE Y Patented June 24, 1941 UNITD STATES PATE T DFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates generally to bowling equipment and refers more particularly to a set of bowling slipper attachments for walking shoes.

Heretofore bowlers have used either ordinary Walking shoes or specially constructed shoes when bowling. As such games are played indoors upon hardwood or other slippery floors, the use of ordinary walking shoes is objectionable because of their tendency to slip and cause accidental falls. The use of specially constructed shoes is also objectionable, aside from their initial cost or expense, because it involves the trouble of carrying a bulky or burdensome package to and from.

the bowling alleys, as well as the inconvenience of changing at the alleys from one pair of shoes to another before and after bowling.

Therefore it is an object of the present invention to obviate the difiiculties heretofore experiencedby the use of ordinary or specially constructed shoes, preferably by the provision of slipper-like attachments for ordinary walking shoes.

Another object is to provide attachments of this type that may be easily and quickly fitted over and removed from the ordinary shoes, and that is capable of giving the same or better results or effect obtained by the use of specially constructed shoes for bowling.

Another object is to provide shoe attachments that are light in weight, simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

Another object is to provide shoe attachments that may be folded or collapsed into a relatively small package so that they may be conveniently carried in a pocket of the bowler.

Another object is to provide shoe attachments that are constructed in such a way that they will fit shoes of various sizes, and that are effectively prevented from turning or shifting laterally relative to the shoes to which they are applied.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a set of attachments embodying my invention applied to a set of walking shoes;

Figure 2 is a detail View of the attachment for the left-hand walking shoe;

Figure 3 is a detail view of the attachment for the right-hand walking shoe;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view through the attachment shown in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view through the attachment shown in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of a slight modification.

Referring now to the drawing, A is an attachment embodying my invention for a left-hand walking shoe, and B is an attachment embodying my invention for a right-hand walking shoe. C and D are the soles, E and F are the uppers, and G and H are the fastening members of such shoe attachments.

As shown, the sole C of the attachment A for the left-hand shoe I may be formed of horsehide, leather or similar material to provide a certain sliding action, while the sole D of the attachment B for the right-hand shoe J may be formed in whole or in part of rubber, rubber composition, or raw cord sole material to provide a braking action.

Preferably the uppers E and F of the attachments are formed of 1eather, canvas or the like, and are rigidly secured to the soles C and D along their longitudinal edges. As shown, the uppers E and F are divided longitudinally, and the sections It and H, respectively, thereof are connected together by suitable lacings l2.

The fastening members G and H may be any suitable construction or material. Preferably they are straps of leather rigidly secured to the sections l0 and II of the uppers E and F at their rear ends and are provided with buckles I3 or other suitable devices so that the attachments may be readily fastened to the shoes as illustrated in Figure 1.

In all instances where leather or the like is used, the material is relatively thin to provide flexibility and lightness, yet is substantial enough to resist wear. Also, the sole of each attachment has sufiicient length to fit over the sole of the walking shoe as far as the arch thereof but short of the heel.

To prevent the attachments from turning during sliding or braking actions thereof and at the same time to permit application of the attachments to shoes of diiferent sizes, and to permit the lacings IE to be relatively loose while the attachments are in use, I have provided a welt 15 between the sole C and section I!) of the upper portion of the attachment A at the outer edge thereof for the left-hand walking shoe and have provided a welt it between the sole D and section II of the upper portion of the attachment B at the outer edge thereof for the right-hand walking shoe. As shown, these welts are substantially rectangulanshape in cross section and are preferably interposed between and secured in surface-to-surface relation with the soles and uppers mentioned. Preferably the inner edges I! and I8, respectively, of these welts are substantially flush with the inner edges l9 and 20, respectively, of the uppers so that the combined thickness of such parts provides substantial walls or abutments for the soles of the shoes to which they are applied. However, if desired, the sections Ill and H of the uppers may overlap the inner edges of and be secured under the welts l5 and N3.

N welt is provided between the sole C and section II of the attachment A or between the sole D and section II] of the attachment 13. Such sections overlap and are secured in surface-tosurface relation to the soles, hence the sections H and I0, respectively, of the attachments A and B can, due to their flexibility and the adjustability of the lacings l2, bulge laterally outward to accommodate wider shoes than those shown in Figure 1.

By referring to the drawing it will be noted that the welts l and i5 extend the full length of the soles C and D, however it is apparent that such welts may terminate short of either or both ends or be otherwise disposed along the respective side edges of the soles of the attachments, so long as they are in position to serve effectively as edgewise abutments for the soles of the respective walking shoes.

When attachments such as those described are being made for left-hand bowlers, the arrangement is reversed. For example, the attachment for the right-hand walking shoe would have the leather sole, etc., while the attachment for the left-hand walking shoe would have the rubber sole, etc.

In use, the attachments A and B may be easily and quickly slipped over the forward ends of the walking shoes and may be readily fastened in place by the lacings l2 and fastening members G and H. While bowling, the sole of the left-hand walking shoe will abut the welt [5, while the sole of the right-hand walking shoe will abut the welt it. Thus, the attachments will be prevented from turning relative to the walking shoes I and J during the sliding and braking operations mentioned. As a result, more efficient action is obtained. Moreover, the lacings I2 need not be so tight and inner soles are unnecessary and have been dispensed with entirely.

In Figure 6 I have illustrated a slight modification wherein the sole D of the attachment B for the right-hand walking shoe of a righthand bowler is formed of relatively thin, flexible leather and is provided at its forward end or tip with a layer 30 of rubber, rubber composition or raw cord sole material to provide the desired braking action. Other than this, the construction is the same as the attachment B previously described.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A bowling slipper attachment for a walking shoe, comprising a sole for engagement with the underside of a sole of a walking shoe, uppers for embracing the uppers of the walking shoe, and connections between the uppers and sole of the attachment, including a welt engageable with an edge of the sole of the walking shoe.

2. A bowling slipper attachment for a walking shoe, comprising a sole for engagement with the underside of a sole of a walking shoe, uppers for embracing the uppers of the walking shoe, and connections between the uppers and sole of the attachment, including a welt rigidly secured to the sole and uppers and constituting an edgewise abutment for the sole of the walking shoe.

3. A bowling slipper attachment for a walking shoe, comprising a sole for engagement with the underside of a sole of a walking shoe, uppers for embracing the uppers of the walking shoe, the uppers of the attachment having two sections adjustably connected together, and a welt extending lengthwise of the sole of the attachment at an edge thereof and constituting an edgewise abutment for the sole of the walking shoe, one section aforesaid of the uppers being secured directly to said welt, the other section being secured directly to the sole of said attachment.

4. A bowling slipper attachment of the class described having a sole of relatively flexible material, a welt of non-flexible material secured to said sole at a longitudinal edge thereof and serving as an edgewise abutment for a shoe sole, and uppers of flexible material having portions respectively secured to said welt and sole.

5. A bowling slipper attachment of the class described having a sole of sufiicient length to extend throughout substantially the entire length of and form a support for a sole of a walking shoe, a welt extending lengthwise of the sole of the attachment at a side edge thereof and serving as an edgewise abutment for the sole of the walking shoe, and uppers secured to the sole and welt of the attachment.

6. A bowling slipper attachment for a walking shoe, comprising a sole for engagement with the underside of a sole of a walking shoe, uppers for embracing the uppers of the walking shoe, and connections between the uppers and sole of the attachment including a member between and secured to the sole and uppers of the attachment at an edge thereof and serving as an abutment for an edge of the sole of the walking shoe.

7. A bowling slipper attachment for a walking shoe, comprising a sole for engagement with the underside of a sole of a walking shoe, uppers for embracing the uppers of the walking shoe, and connections between said sole and uppers of the attachment including a member on the upper side of and rigid with the sole of the attachment at the outer edge thereof for abutting engagement with an edge of the sole of the walking shoe.

8. A bowling slipper attachment for a walking shoe, comprising a sole for engagement with the underside of a sole of a walking shoe, uppers for embracing the uppers of the walking shoe, and connections between the uppers and sole of the attachment including an edgewise abutment for the sole of the walking shoe.

9. A bowling slipper attachment for a walking shoe, comprising a sole for engagement with the underside of a sole of a walking shoe, uppers for embracing the uppers of the Walking shoe, and connections between the uppers and sole of the attachment including an elongated straplike member between and secured in surface-tosurface relation to the sole and uppers of the attachment at an edge thereof, the inner edge of the elongated member being upright and providing an abutment for an edge of the sole of the walking shoe.

ALBERT B. WHITLEY. 

